First off, you're running or want to run a site that both takes bets and sells picks to the punters?

As a former serious horse player, I'd be extremely sceptical about conflicts of interest.

Seems to me you should be either the bookie or the tout, not both.

As for getting around Adwords TOS, that's a risky game of its own. You might be able to two-step this by offering some kind of information product and putting the membership offer in the guide and/or in the email followup.

I'm only offering and selling sports picks. I'm not taking any sports bets.

Didn't get that from the way your subject line was worded. It sounded like either you, or the site you were marketing, offered both.

I still think, if you really want to use paid advertising like Adwords, taking an educational approach is the way to go. Maybe an email course on how to make picks, made as complex and math-y as you can. Use historical data to show successes. Then offer the chance to let you do the work for them - sign up for your membership and get your picks without having to do the work.

This seems to work well for just about any business based on using historical data to predict future events, from sports betting to stock picking.

taking an educational approach is the way to go. Maybe an email course on how to make picks, made as complex and math-y as you can. Use historical data to show successes. Then offer the chance to let you do the work for them - sign up for your membership and get your picks without having to do the work.

POW!

there you go, now you have a plan to build around..

That's exactly what I would run with if I were you...

highlight the value you bring when they realize what a mess it is to make picks

Google Adwords goes not allow promoting gambling related site? Is there any other way where I can get potential customers to my site and hopefully purchase a membership?

Come up with a good affiliate program and promote the affiliate program.

You can also join sports forums and other sports related discussions, offering free picks when appropriate to build trust and confidence, linking to your site in your sig.

Create apps and software of interest to your target market and use them to build a list of targeted leads. You can also create non-gambling sports related sites, blogs, videos and social account and use them to promote your list indirectly.

However, as an experienced gambler, my first question about these types of services is why you don't just moved to Las Vegas and make the bets for yourself if your predictions are so good?

You can also join sports forums and other sports related discussions, offering free picks when appropriate to build trust and confidence, linking to your site in your sig.

I would be careful about this approach. I would not put any kind of link in a signature until you have been participating on the forum for a year or so and have built up a reputation. On the major gaming forums, and they are the only ones that matter, the mods will sniff out that kind of behavior quickly and ban your account before you have made more than 3-4 posts.

They don't take kindly to affiliate spammers. The mods are really on top of stuff in those forums.

I would be careful about this approach. I would not put any kind of link in a signature until you have been participating on the forum for a year or so and have built up a reputation. On the major gaming forums, and they are the only ones that matter, the mods will sniff out that kind of behavior quickly and ban your account before you have made more than 3-4 posts.

They don't take kindly to affiliate spammers. The mods are really on top of stuff in those forums.

I thought it was assumed that one follows individual forum rules and you missed my use of "when appropriate".

Not to mention linking to your own site isn't "affiliate spammers". It may not be allowed in some forums, but your use of "affiliate" is inaccurate, since the OP would be promoting his own service and not an affiliate program.

Also, "gaming" forums aren't sports forums.

Yes, one may (or may not) be banned for not respecting the community and care should be taken to make posts that are "appropriate". On the other hand, not posting at all guarantees no results.

I thought it was assumed that one follows individual forum rules and you missed my use of "when appropriate".

Not to mention linking to your own site isn't "affiliate spammers". It may not be allowed in some forums, but your use of "affiliate" is inaccurate, since the OP would be promoting his own service and not an affiliate program.

Also, "gaming" forums aren't sports forums.

Yes, one may (or may not) be banned for not respecting the community and care should be taken to make posts that are "appropriate". On the other hand, not posting at all guarantees no results.

Posting picks on "sports" forums would be a huge waste of time. You probably have an audience of maybe 1% that actually gamble on games. The rest are just fans. You might have a little better luck if you visit European forums where gambling is legal, but none of them are betting on North American sports which is fine if you are picking soccer and cricket games.

You're right about the affiliate thing. My use of the word was incorrect. I meant that sports and gaming forums have zero tolerance for anyone trying to hock any kind of product or service, whether it is their own or they are an affiliate of someone else's. Better?

It is not just the mods. The members of the community will turn on anyone like that pretty quickly.

Lastly, most of the popular sports forums don't allow signature links.

Posting picks on "sports" forums would be a huge waste of time. You probably have an audience of maybe 1% that actually gamble on games. The rest are just fans. You might have a little better luck if you visit European forums where gambling is legal, but none of them are betting on North American sports which is fine if you are picking soccer and cricket games.

You're right about the affiliate thing. My use of the word was incorrect. I meant that sports and gaming forums have zero tolerance for anyone trying to hock any kind of product or service, whether it is their own or they are an affiliate of someone else's. Better?

It is not just the mods. The members of the community will turn on anyone like that pretty quickly.

Lastly, most of the popular sports forums don't allow signature links.

I think the entire thing is a waste of time. Like I said above, if the picks are so good then why not move to Las Vegas and be a "wise guy" and just make money that way? Seems a lot easier than trying to get customers and a lot less hassles...of course assuming the picks are any good in the first place.

In case you didn't know, sports betting is legal in Nevada. And having lived in Nevada for a number of years over the past 30 or so, it's pretty cheap to live in Nevada.

I'm a member of a few NFL forums and some do allow sigs. Like you said, "most" don't allow sigs. How about posting on those that do?

However, if it were me I wouldn't promote picks, instead I'd try Fantasy Football advice and affiliate offers, if I were going to mess with this at all. I think they still have affiliate programs, but I could be wrong.

Now that you've posted what's wrong with my advice, why don't you tell us what you'd do that's so great?

Post of sports betting forums and develop a following. Give away free picks on social media. If people win money with your picks, they'll buy your service. Make sure that all of your picks are certified so you establish a proven track record. There have been a few that have started their business over at therxforums.

Back in the day, you could post a teaser on Covers forum with some free picks and analysis then link it to your site. That was always good for a few sign ups.

The problem with that is that it takes at least 4 months to get a following if you are reasonably good in your free picks you have posted.
Too much time... not a good solution.

If you are sensationally good, takes just 2 weeks, but this is just 0.1% of all forum members ever, lol...
If you are sensationally good, you are very rich from your betting, and you do not waste your time trying selling picks.

The problem with that is that it takes at least 4 months to get a following if you are reasonably good in your free picks you have posted.
Too much time... not a good solution.

If you are sensationally good, takes just 2 weeks, but this is just 0.1% of all forum members ever, lol...
If you are sensationally good, you are very rich from your betting, and you do not waste your time trying selling picks.

Not really true, if you have any ability to market yourself. The vast majority of sports bettors are degenerate gamblers that get 'high' on the gambling. If you 'get hot', if you are consistent, if you win money, you'll get a following fairly quickly these days. At least in my experience. In 4 months, a season will come and go and you'll be irrelevant. The typical handicapping customer is after "who can win me money today?"

I haven't had a gambling site in years because I hated dealing with people living paycheck to paycheck and betting it all on a game.

I am no expert at sports handicapping, but if I were trying to market something in an adult niche like that I would reach out to social media(FB,Twitter,Instagram etc...
Also I would do a search for similar or related blogs and forums. With that list in hand I would go visit and become an active member of said sites.

I am not into gambling, but if I were tasked to do this I would definitely go the normal SEO route. Find related websites where I could derive keywords from and create useful content for the target audience.

I would say, you should continue in promoting your value to your target audience. If your picks are indeed valuable, then it should not be difficult to fund it through your bettors donation. That is, if they indeed earn something from your picks.

That is a tricky question. You better not focus on setting up Google, you could monetize your site in other ways.
1. From your customer, you could have them pay you a commission for winning bets
2. Connect to a high ranking site that would give you the audience you need, this way you could do affiliate marketing on all things related to gambling,